Avoid pests in your home while away on holidays!

As many of us are packing up the family and hitting the road for some well-earned time away, we will inevitably be leaving our home for a period of time. While we’re away, what is to stop the pests moving in?

Here are our Top Tips on how to deter pests from your home these holidays while you’re away.

1. Ants

Store food in sealed containers

Make sure all foods are sealed in air tight containers.

Do not leave dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.

Do not leave dirty laundry in rooms or on the laundry floor.

Only feed pets with enough food for immediate consumption. Do not overfeed pets with food in the morning. If they don’t eat it all, ants will definitely be attracted to it.

Ensure all tree and shrub branches/palms/ foliage do not make contact with the external house walls or roof structure. This often provides an ideal opportunity for ants to gain access into the building.

Remove items away from external walls (e.g. firewood) building supplies, pipes, hoses. This deters concealed access by ants but is also quite relevant for subterranean termites.

Ensure all water taps are firmly turned-off as excess water and dampness attracts a multitude of pests (e.g. ants, flies, termites).

2. Bed Bugs

Protectabed mattress covering

Install bed mattress covers (e.g. Protecta-Bed covers) on your bed mattress as this will exclude the opportunity for Bed Bugs to conceal themselves around the folds and seams. Speak to your local Amalgamated Branch about Protecta-Bed covers

Sadly, fold out sofas are notorious harbourage areas for Bed Bugs as they conceal themselves in and around all the cracks and crevices within.

Check the bed, bed base and bed mattress – Particularly the mattress folds and seams for any sign of blood spotting or staining (SEE PHOTO).

3. Flies (Maggots)

Blowflies

Keep all foods sealed in air tight containers.

Rinse out and wash all rubbish bins including waste receptacles or before re-lining them for ease of rubbish removal (Even the wheelie bins).

Do not overload the rubbish bin days before collection with perishables (e.g. seafood remnants). Store these few items in a freezer unit and dispose of on the day of rubbish collection.

Regularly remove all dog droppings and clean out the kitty litter trays.

Only feed pets with enough food for immediate consumption. Do not overfeed pets with food in the morning. If they don’t eat it all many fly species will soon locate it and deposit eggs/larvae into it.

4. Mosquitoes

Leaving dirty dishes in the sink can attract all sorts of insects

Avoid strongly scented perfumes or toiletries, as the smell can attract insects. Seal and put these away carefully before you leave.

Ensure there are no pools of water outside, or areas where rain can accumulate. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so remove the possibility.

5. Ticks/Fleas

Check everybody (adults, children & pets), including shoes and clothing when leaving risk areas (e.g. Bushland /long grassy areas). Ticks/Fleas are ideally suited to hitching a ride on the host.

Pay careful attention and brush yourself off before going into the home.

Regular vacuuming of floor areas will keep the flea population controlled.

Protect your animal pets (dogs, cats) by keeping their Tick and Flea program/treatments up to date – Keep it marked on a calendar or set it on your phone alarm for easy reminders.